The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with a Madras High Court order that dismissed a petition filed by the Hindu Dharma Parishad seeking to light a lamp atop the Thiruparankundram hills, Live Law reported.

The Hindu association had challenged the High Court’s April 9 order that criticised it for filing a plea allegedly for political benefits and imposed a cost of Rs 50,000.

While the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the High Court’s order on Tuesday, it reduced the cost to Rs 5,000, saying that a penalty of Rs 50,000 was “on the excessive side”, Live Law reported.

On December 1, High Court judge GR Swaminathan ruled that the stone pillar on Thiruparankundram hill near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, was a deepathoon, or a structure designed to hold lamps, and that the temple should restore the tradition of lighting the lamp at the site. This came after some temple devotees had sought permission to light a lamp at the stone pillar.

Swaminathan had also held that the practice would not infringe upon the religious rights of the nearby Muslim shrine.

The hillock has the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy temple and the Sikkandar Badhusha dargah.

The Tamil Nadu government, the temple authorities and the dargah management, among others, had challenged the order of the single judge, raising concerns about law and order,...

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